Sunday, March 23, 2008

Up to Mazatlan

We've arrived safely here in Mazatlan!

On our last day in Chacala, we shopped for a few food supplies at the little local store. As the sun set, we motored the dinghy back to Niki Wiki and finished preparing for the next day's long journey north to Mazatlan. At daybreak, we hoisted the anchor and set off.

The routine of leaving an anchorage and heading out to sea has become so much easier because it is just that - a routine. As we sailed along that day, we began to write up the list of all the little tasks we do to prepare for sea. It surprised us as to how long the list is - things like close the ports (little windows in the hull), remove the pelican preventor wire thingy on the bowsprit, and put the dish liquid soap down into the sink so it won't spill.

As usual, I took the night watch. Sitting in the cockpit, wearing an LED headlamp, and knitting, we motor-sailed along in light winds and flat seas. Finally, another easy passage! We arrived at the Mazatlan marina at around 8:30am - got fuel, then motored into our assigned berth without incident. The staff at the marina was on the dock waiting for us (we called on the VHF radio as we came in) and helped us secure the boat.

A successful 26-hour trip of about 140 nautical miles under our belts. Not bad.

Hats for the teenagers in the Akkol orphanage in Kazakhstan were my knitting projects. First, another fancy brimmed hat - this one is edged in Noro Silk Mountain boucle yarn held with another strand of wool. Then just plain stockinette with 2 strands of wool. Such a stash buster!!!

Then it was time to use up some more small amounts of wool. So along came 2 different versions of the same pattern - the Alpine Hat - as named by Jonesy. Both of these hats are knit exactly the same - same # of stitches, same patterns, but just different yarns. One uses some of my hand-dyed yarn mixed with a natural Wyoming Ramoulet wool and the other uses some solid colored yarn.

Next project was the Rhapsody Hat. The same pattern repeated 3 times. Details include a picot hemmed edge and a little tassel. And, being the knitting knut that I am...I wrote up the patterns for both the Alpine and the Rhapsody Hats and they are available on my Sailingknitter Liann Originals website.

So, we are in Mazatlan. We gathered up the laundry to drop off at the laundry service store (Lavandaria). Ooops! One of the bags was wet! Why? We searched the head for leaks - nope not that. Oh, then I remembered that the rear toilet had filled to the brim with seawater at the beginning of our journey. I had forgotten to shut off the valve that brings in the seawater to flush the toilet and while at tossing around at sea, we had sucked up extra water which had splashed out of the bowl and soaked the nearby bag of laundry. Eeeewwww! It smelled so bad! Add that task to the check list for leaving an anchorage!Jonesy took the 3 laundry bags up to the Lavandaria. Whoops, he left his sunglasses there so about 10 minutes later he walked back up to get his sunglasses. As he walked in he noticed that the gals were starting to work on our laundry and they were wearing masks! How embarrassing!!!

Soon we will shop the big Mega stores for all sorts of goodies! Whooo hooooo! Jonesy is already happy with the shopping right here in the little marina store - Pacifico beer comes in 8-packs!

Ahhhh, this land-lubber is actually missing the sailing life! So adventurous. I love reading your posts. And your knitting projects are cool. I recently took a class to learn the continental style of knitting and thought of you. You knit so fast that you must use it???? I'm still so clumsy I keep going back to American style, but will persevere!

Jonesy & Terry's Adventures

We quit the jobs, sold the house, sold the car & furniture, and got rid of all our stuff.
We live aboard our 50-foot Gulfstar Sailmaster, NIKI WIKI, and open-ended cruised
in Mexico, Central America, thru the Panama Canal, and the Western Caribbean. After 8 years in the tropics, we are finally sailing north along the eastern seaboard of Florida and beyond. Yes, we're still going wherever our vagabond spirits and the winds take us, grabbing new adventures along the way.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things
that you didn’t do than by the ones you do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain